Week 39: Creative Challenge 52

Trish Urquhart, who runs Allaboutwriting, works as a documentary producer for Left-Eye Productions, and tries her best to live up to the title chef extraordinaire, has been very mobile this past week. She and Richard have covered serious ground in their narrowboat - heading from Waltham Abbey on the Lee Navigation to Limehouse Basin, back to Paddington Basin for a couple of days, and they are now on the river Thames at Clieveden.

This, of course, has left little time for creativity, but Trish made a gorgeous brew of elder flower tea this morning, with flowers that she picked along the river bank. I love the composition of this photo with the water in the background. It's just lovely. And Trish has been indulging her passion for travel photography too, with impressive results indeed. The photos are of Paddington and Limehouse Basins.

Telena Routh

Classical oboist and textile designer, Telena Routh, achieved some wonderful results at her eco-dyeing workshop last weekend, and this has sent her scouring the neighbourhood for suitable trees. She walks with her eyes focusing skyward on the colours and shapes of the gum leaves and tries very hard not to trip over in the process!

Having already felted some small and large wraps, Telena laid down a variety of leaves, rolled, bundled and tied them up, then put them in the simmering dye baths, eagerly awaiting the results. She also dyed some silk scarves. One of the lovely side effects of a eucalyptus dye bath is the aroma.

Telena dyed the orange coloured pieces in a cinerea dye bath and the grey pieces in an iron dye bath. She's delighted with the results. And who wouldn't be? She says she thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and can see herself happily brewing on the camping stove in her backyard. Telena intends to continue using regular dyes, because she loves brightly coloured fleece, but plans to make eco-dyeing a regular part of her repertoire too. What a fabulous addition to her toolkit.

Kanen Breen

Opera singer and Strange Bedfellow, Kanen Breen, has been in Brisbane today for a matinee performance of the Strange Bedfellows cabaret spectacular, and he's en route to Melbourne tonight for more of the same. He'll be rehearsing and performing in Sweeney Todd for Victorian Opera too, while he's there. The man is unstoppable.

No description could do Kanen's contribution this week justice. He's outdone himself. He created this sequined suit to wear to Strange Bedfellows shows in Adelaide. It was a labour intensive project and the effect under lights, he says, was quite spectacular.

Here he is wearing his masterpiece. If you look closely, you'll recognise his shoes from a previous creative challenge. And if you're a particularly ardent Breen fan (aren't we all?), you might even sense his deft hand at work in Daryl's crimson shoes.

This week Kanen also put a lick of Glitterlites over the top of a previous effort. They're now so over the top, he says, that he can scarcely cope - too much fabulousness for the human foot to bear.

Stephen Bennett

Stephen Bennett has been a very kind soul this week, devoting his creative challenge time to a project of mine.

I have a suite of online courses that I'll be releasing on my website in July, and I'm busy preparing materials for them. The courses will all be supported by audio and video files, and today I wanted to make a guided relaxation recording for one of my programs.

Steve set up a little mini studio for me this morning in his dark room (the only room in the house with any potential whatsoever for quiet) and I recorded the voice over. He then worked on the soundtrack to get the levels and balance right, then put it together with some royalty-free music in one of his software programs. Thank you!

Scarlet Bennett

Jewellery giveaways for my forthcoming book blog tours are still at the top of my list of creative priorities. This week I made some more earrings and also a couple of pendants. I love these pendants and Steve's photos are just wonderful. And I've started work on some book-themed pieces for next week that just might tickle your fancy - if I can bear to part with them, that is.